Go Pro

Canadian Natural Resources (CNQ) Stock Forecast & Price Target

Canadian Natural Resources logo
$50.44 -0.70 (-1.37%)
As of 09/4/2026 03:58 PM Eastern

Canadian Natural Resources - Analysts' Recommendations and Stock Price Forecast (2026)

Consensus Rating

Sell
0
Hold
5
Buy
7

Based on 12 Wall Street analysts who have issued ratings for Canadian Natural Resources in the last 12 months, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy." Out of the 12 analysts, 5 have given a hold rating, and 7 have given a buy rating for CNQ.

Consensus Price Target

$57.00
13.01% Upside
According to the 12 analysts' twelve-month price targets for Canadian Natural Resources, the average price target is $57.00. The highest price target for CNQ is $65.00, while the lowest price target for CNQ is $49.00. The average price target represents a forecasted upside of 13.01% from the current price of $50.44.
MarketBeat calculates consensus analyst ratings for stocks using the most recent rating from each Wall Street analyst that has rated a stock within the last twelve months. Each analyst's rating is normalized to a standardized rating score of 1 (sell), 2 (hold), 3 (buy) or 4 (strong buy). Analyst consensus ratings scores are calculated using the mean average of the number of normalized sell, hold, buy and strong buy ratings from Wall Street analysts. Each stock's consensus analyst rating is derived from its calculated consensus ratings score (0 to .5 = Strong Sell, .5 to 1 = Sell, 1 to 1.5 = Reduce, 1.5 to 2.5 = Hold, 2.5 to 3.0 = Moderate Buy, 3.0 to 3.5 = Buy, >3.5 = Strong Buy). MarketBeat's consensus price targets are a mean average of the most recent available price targets set by each analyst that has set a price target for the stock in the last twelve months. MarketBeat's consensus ratings and consensus price targets may differ from those calculated by other firms due to differences in methodology and available data.
Get the Latest News and Ratings for CNQ and Related Stocks

Enter your email address to receive the latest news and analysts' ratings for Canadian Natural Resources and its competitors.

Sign Up
SMS is currently available in Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. By entering your phone number and clicking the sign-up button, you agree to receive periodic text messages from MarketBeat at the phone number you submitted, including texts that may be sent using an automatic telephone dialing system. Message and data rates may apply. Message frequency will vary. Messages will consist of stock alerts, news stories, and partner advertisements/offers. Consent is not a condition of the purchase of any goods or services. Text HELP for help/customer support. Unsubscribe at any time by replying "STOP" to any text message that you receive from MarketBeat or by visiting our mailing preferences page. Read our full terms of service and privacy policy.

CNQ Analyst Ratings Over Time

TypeCurrent Forecast
9/5/25 to 9/5/26
1 Month Ago
8/6/25 to 8/6/26
3 Months Ago
6/7/25 to 6/7/26
1 Year Ago
9/5/24 to 9/5/25
Strong Buy
0 Strong Buy rating(s)
1 Strong Buy rating(s)
1 Strong Buy rating(s)
1 Strong Buy rating(s)
Buy
7 Buy rating(s)
6 Buy rating(s)
7 Buy rating(s)
4 Buy rating(s)
Hold
5 Hold rating(s)
4 Hold rating(s)
4 Hold rating(s)
2 Hold rating(s)
Sell
0 Sell rating(s)
0 Sell rating(s)
0 Sell rating(s)
0 Sell rating(s)
Consensus Price Target$57.00$57.00$57.00$62.00
Forecasted Upside13.01% Upside25.24% Upside24.61% Upside104.25% Upside
Consensus RatingModerate BuyModerate BuyModerate BuyModerate Buy

CNQ Analyst Recommendations By Month

The chart below shows how a company's ratings by analysts have changed over time. Each bar represents the previous year of ratings for that month. Within each bar, the sell ratings are shown in red, the hold ratings are shown in yellow, the buy ratings are shown in green, and the strong buy ratings are shown in dark green.
Skip Chart & View Analyst Rating History

CNQ Price Targets by Month

The chart below shows how a company's share price and consensus price target have changed over time. The dark blue line represents the company's actual price. The lighter blue line represents the stock's consensus price target. The even lighter blue range in the background of the two lines represents the low price target and the high price target for each stock.
Skip Chart and View Analyst Price Target HistorySkip Chart & View Price History Table

Canadian Natural Resources Stock vs. The Competition

TypeCanadian Natural ResourcesEnergy CompaniesBroader Market
Consensus Rating Score
2.58
2.43
2.53
Consensus RatingModerate BuyHoldModerate Buy
Predicted Upside13.01% Upside32.21% Upside14.03% Upside
News Sentiment Rating
Positive News

See Recent CNQ News
Positive News
Positive News
DateBrokerageAnalystActionRatingPrice TargetReport Date
Upside/Downside
Details
8/27/2026 Reiterated RatingOutperform
8/21/2026
Weiss Ratings logo
Weiss Ratings
5 of 5 stars
 UpgradeBuy (B-)Buy (B)
8/19/2026
Zacks Research logo
Zacks Research
5 of 5 stars
 DowngradeStrong-BuyHold
8/7/2026 Reiterated RatingSector Perform
8/7/2026 Reiterated RatingBuy
7/16/2026 UpgradeHold
5/7/2026 UpgradeMarket PerformOutperform
3/12/2026Boost TargetBuy$37.00 ➝ $49.00+0.96%
3/6/2026Boost TargetOutperform$61.00 ➝ $65.00+42.70%
3/5/2026 DowngradeStrong-BuyModerate Buy
1/6/2026 DowngradeOutperformIn-Line
10/16/2025 UpgradeHold
7/17/2025 Reiterated RatingSector Perform
2/10/2025DowngradeStrong-BuyHold

Analyst ratings data on MarketBeat is provided by Benzinga and other data providers. This page was last refreshed on Sunday at 12:58 AM ET.


Should I Buy Canadian Natural Resources Stock? CNQ Pros and Cons Explained

These pros and cons were generated based on recent news and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest and most accurate insights. They were last updated on Saturday, September 5, 2026. Please send any questions or comments about these Canadian Natural Resources pros and cons to contact@marketbeat.com.

Canadian Natural Resources
Bull Case

green Wall Street bull icon

Here are some ways that investors could benefit from investing in Canadian Natural Resources Limited:

  • Canadian Natural Resources Limited recently reported strong financial performance in its most recent quarter, achieving earnings per share of $1.58, which significantly exceeded the consensus estimate of $1.43, demonstrating the company's ability to generate robust profits that surpass market expectations.
  • The company offers an attractive income stream for investors through its dividend policy, with a current dividend yield of 3.54% and a recent quarterly dividend declaration of $0.625 per share, providing a steady return on investment that is supported by a sustainable payout ratio of 44.69%.
  • With a current stock price of $50.44, the shares are trading below the consensus price target of $57.00 set by analysts, suggesting there is potential for capital appreciation as the market price aligns with the projected value of the company's assets and future earnings.
  • Canadian Natural Resources Limited maintains a favorable valuation profile with a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.45, which is relatively low for an energy producer, indicating that the stock may be undervalued relative to its earnings power and offering a margin of safety for value-oriented investors.
  • The stock exhibits low volatility with a beta of 0.47, meaning it tends to be less sensitive to overall market fluctuations than the broader market, which can help reduce portfolio risk and provide more stable returns during periods of market uncertainty.

Canadian Natural Resources
Bear Case

red Wall Street bear icon

Investors should be bearish about investing in Canadian Natural Resources Limited for these reasons:

  • Recent analyst sentiment has shifted negatively, with Zacks Research downgrading the stock from a "strong-buy" to a "hold" rating in August 2026, reflecting concerns about the company's future growth trajectory and potential risks that may limit upside potential.
  • The company faces significant short interest, with 57,647,400 shares shorted as of the most recent record date, indicating that a substantial portion of the market is betting against the stock, which could lead to downward price pressure if the bearish sentiment continues to build.
  • Canadian Natural Resources Limited operates in the oil and gas sector, which is inherently exposed to volatile commodity prices, and any decline in crude oil or natural gas prices could directly impact the company's revenue and profitability, posing a risk to investors who rely on stable earnings.
  • The stock has experienced recent price declines, including a gap down of 1.67% on July 27, 2026, and a percent decline of 42.68% on April 17, 2026, suggesting that the shares may be underperforming and that investors could face capital losses if the downward trend persists.
  • While the company has a strong dividend, the payout ratio of 44.69% leaves less room for reinvestment in growth initiatives compared to peers with lower payout ratios, which could limit the company's ability to expand its asset base and drive long-term value creation for shareholders.

CNQ Forecast - Frequently Asked Questions

According to the research reports of 12 Wall Street equities research analysts, the average twelve-month stock price forecast for Canadian Natural Resources is $57.00, with a high forecast of $65.00 and a low forecast of $49.00.

12 Wall Street equities research analysts have issued "buy," "hold," and "sell" ratings for Canadian Natural Resources in the last year. There are currently 5 hold ratings and 7 buy ratings for the stock. The consensus among Wall Street equities research analysts is that investors should "moderate buy" CNQ shares.

According to analysts, Canadian Natural Resources's stock has a predicted upside of 13.01% based on their 12-month stock forecasts.

Over the previous 90 days, Canadian Natural Resources's stock had 4 upgrades and 2 downgrades by analysts.

Canadian Natural Resources has been rated by research analysts at Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Desjardins, Scotiabank, TD Securities, Weiss Ratings, and Zacks Research in the past 90 days.

Analysts like Canadian Natural Resources more than other "energy" companies. The consensus rating for Canadian Natural Resources is Moderate Buy while the average consensus rating for "energy" companies is Hold. Learn more on how CNQ compares to other companies.


MarketBeat monitors more than a dozen sources for Canadian Natural Resources analyst ratings, with the most recent rating issued on 8/27/2026.
From Our Partners